Paintball markers are known in the art for firing projectiles in the form of frangible balls filled with paint (called “paintballs”) to a target. Such paintball markers typically utilize compressed air to launch the paintball from a firing chamber within the marker and out of a barrel pointed at the target. Compressed air powered firearms are also known for projectile delivery firearms other than paintball.
Such compressed air powered firearms known in the prior art include numerous generally similar components arranged in similar ways to fire the paintball or other projectile from the firearm. In particular, such typical compressed air firearms include a body supporting the firing chamber and barrel thereon, and with a handle grippable by a hand of the user. A trigger is located near the handle and in a position where fingers of the user can readily actuate the trigger. A source of compressed gas (usually air) is typically provided in the form of a canister attachable to the body of the firearm. This high pressure air source is in fluid communication with the firing chamber in a removable fashion.
Typically, a main valve is provided between the high pressure air source and the firing chamber which controls flow of high pressure air to the firing chamber. The trigger is coupled to this main valve in some way so that actuation of the trigger causes the valve to open momentarily and allow a charge of compressed air to pass from the source of high pressure air to the firing chamber. Within the firing chamber, a ball is loaded through some form of load lock mechanism. The air is entered into the firing chamber behind the ball so that the air expands behind the ball pushing the ball out of the barrel.
While the trigger can be coupled to the main valve in many different ways, it is known with some paintball markers, and other compressed gas firearms, to control the opening and closing of this main valve through the utilization of a ram which moves to open the main valve. The trigger is coupled to the ram to cause the ram to move. One common arrangement for trigger and ram coupling involves providing an electropneumatic valve between an electric source selectively closed by actuation of the trigger and an electrically powered solenoid within the electropneumatic valve capable of opening and closing air passages leading to the ram for control of ram position. Typically, such electropneumatic valves are powered by compressed air which is often at a lower pressure than the high pressure air from the source of high pressure air.
Often a regulator or other pressure reducer is provided so that the high pressure air can also supply this low pressure air for powering the electropneumatic valve. Such a regulator can also allow fine tuning of pressure provided from the source of high pressure air to the firing chamber for launching the paintball. The solenoid within the electropneumatic valve can further be controlled by a logic circuit such as can be provided in an integrated circuit located upon a printed circuit board with other circuitry to properly control the electropneumatic valve and hence the ram and main valve. A power supply, such as a battery, is also typically provided to power the circuitry.
With regard to the ball delivery load lock, typically a feed tube is provided near the firing chamber which feeds paintballs or other projectiles, typically by gravity, into or near the firing chamber. With many paintball markers and other compressed air firearms, a bolt is provided co-linear with the barrel and the firing chamber. Such a bolt can slide forward along this line to advance the ball or other projectile into the firing chamber and to close communication between the firing chamber and the feed tube, so that compressed air delivered behind the ball has no place to escape except out of the barrel behind the paintball.
Particular prior art embodiments of paintball markers are typically generally similar to each other as described above, but are further modified in each individual paintball marker embodiment to improve performance, simplify construction, or to achieve other purposes. Such known prior art paintball markers have not been entirely satisfactory in some aspects. One problem encountered with many paintball markers is that after some period of use the paintball marker will cease operating properly. Because many of the elements of the paintball marker are hidden within an enclosed body it is often difficult to determine which portion of the paintball marker requires service to again achieve satisfactory performance. For instance, if the trigger is toggled with a ball in the firing chamber and yet the ball has not fired and no charge of compressed air leaves the firearm, a multitude of different potential problems could produce such a result. It is thus difficult for a user or maintenance personnel to diagnose the problem. Accordingly, a need exists for paintball markers and other compressed air firearms which can have various portions thereof fully operational in isolation from other portions of the firearm for troubleshooting purposes.
Another problem encountered with many prior art paintball markers and other compressed air firearms is that the paintballs or other projectiles do not travel from the barrel to the target in as linear a fashion as would be optimal. Rather, most prior art paintball markers impart some undesirable amount of spin to the projectile or other deformation so that after a relatively short distance the paintballs are inclined to miss the target at which the barrel is pointed. While one partial solution to this problem is to increase the pressure of air used in firing the paintball, there are limits to such an approach. Excessive pressure can cause the paintball to rupture prematurely within the paintball marker. Also, excessive velocity of the paintball can make the paintball an excessively great hazard to personnel or property which the paintball strikes. Accordingly, a need exists for paintball markers and other compressed air firearms which can utilize high pressure air as effectively as possible to deliver the paintball more precisely at a target.